25th NASCAR Weekend in Sonoma Features Silver Celebration

Thursday, April 4, 2013

It seems like just yesterday Ricky Rudd and Rusty Wallace were swapping paint along the hillside at Turn 7 at the inaugural NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race in Sonoma in 1989.

Rudd survived the battle and took the checkers by just .05 seconds over Wallace in what is still the closest margin of victory for a NASCAR Cup race at Sonoma Raceway. That race included legends like Dale Earnhardt, Bill Elliott and Richard Petty, among others.

Now fast-forward to 2013 and stock-car racing is alive and well as Sonoma Raceway celebrates the 25th running of the Toyota/Save Mart 350, June 21-23.

Some of the names and faces may have changed over the years, but one thing hasn’t: the race is one of the most exciting and explosive events on the NASCAR calendar each year.

“You never know what’s going to happen in Sonoma,” said 2012 winner Clint Bowyer. “It’s one of those races where there’s a lot of banging going on and you’re just trying to survive. We were lucky enough to win it.”

The raceway has plenty in store for race fans in honor of this very special weekend, including:

Silver Celebration Ticket: Race fans can save $25 per ticket with this special package that includes seats in either Turns 7 or 9 (rows 6-10), and the first 1,000 accounts will receive a limited-edition 25th Running die-cast car.

Silver Celebration Q&A: NASCAR legends and contemporary drivers will be front-and-center on the road course at Turn 11 on Sunday, June 23, for a very special Q&A looking back on NASCAR racing in Sonoma.*

Web-site: Visit racesonoma.com during the season for special photo galleries and commentary on the first 24 years of Cup racing in Sonoma.

Social Media: Stay tuned to facebook.com/racesonoma and @racesonoma for contests, as well as special driver ticket giveaways. Sonoma Raceway wants to hear about your memories at the track as well as any pictures or videos you'd like share. Send it all to silvercelebration@racesonoma.com or facebook.com/racesonoma.

Bring on the Jets: A very special 25-minute jet show on Sunday, June 23, by the Patriots Jet Team, honoring nearly a quarter-century of Cup racing in Sonoma.

Vintage NASCAR Stock Cars: The Silver Celebration weekend will also feature an incredible collection of vintage NASCAR stock cars on display as well as a pre-race parade.

This special weekend can mean only one thing: tickets will go fast. Act today by calling the raceway at 800-870-RACE (7223) or visit racesonoma.com/nascar for the latest information regarding the Silver Celebration of NASCAR in Sonoma.

Featured Event

The Toyota/Save Mart 350 roars into Sonoma June 22-24, and it’s guaranteed to be a wild ride. It’s the biggest rush to hit wine country, and you won’t want to miss a second of the action on and off track. Be sure to get your tickets as NASCAR tackles its first road course of the season.